Transposing key-board for musical instruments



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. PHILIPPS.

TRANSPOSING KEY BOARD FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. `10.354,75fs. Patented De0.21,1886.

a' l f (No Model.) 3 sheets-sheen a.v M. PHILIPPS. TRANSPOSING KEY BOARD FOR MUSIGAL'INSTRUMENTS.

l IIIIIAY s WM l MW Patented Deo. 21, 1886.

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

, M PHILIPPS TRANSPOSING KEY BOARD FOR. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

No. 354,733. Patented Deo. 21, 1886.

` for.

fara @yon .from the sound-producing parts,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN PHILIPPS, F STRYKERSVILLE, NEW YORK.

TRANSPOSING KEY-BOARD FOR MUSIOAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION'forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,733, dated December 21, 1886. Application filed June 8, 1896. Serial No. 204,519. (No model.)

State of New York, have invented new andl useful Improvements in Organs, dro., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvementin a key-board for organs and other similar instruments in which the keys are disconnected and the keyboard is provided with a shifting mechanism, whereby the keys can be placed in communication with different sound-producing parts at desire in'such manner that different notes can be sounded by the same key.

The object of my invention is to provide simple and efficient means whereby the keys can be connected with the sound-producing parts; and the invention consists of the improvement, which will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of three sheets, Figure .l represents a vertical cross-section of a pipe-organ provided with my improved key-board. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section of thesame in line mit, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section in line y y, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a similar view in line 'e z, Fig. 1. Fig.l 5 isa horizontal sectionin line w rw, Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the improved keyboard. Fig. 7 is a face view of the indicator applied to the shifting-roller.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the top frame or casing of an organ, and A the key-board frame, in which the keys are arranged.

B represents the white or main keys, which are ,'pivoted upon a cross-bar, a, of the keyboard frame by means of yvertical pins a', and which are capable of a rocking movement in a well-known manner.

C :represents the main wind-trunk, D the wind-chests communicating with the same by valves d, and E the pipes inserted into the wind-chests I).

F represents the actuating -levers of the valves d, which aremounted upon a horizontal rod, j, secured inthe side frames of the or gan, and f are the springs whereby the valves d are held in a closed position.

G represents depending arms or pendants, which are pivoted near their upper ends to a horizontal rod, g, and; connected with their upper ends to the outer ends of the actuatinglevers F. The outer arms of the actuatinglevers F are provided with longitudinal slots h, in which engage the pins or bolts h', which connect the upper ends ofthe pendants to the levers F, and whereby the pendants are per- Initted to swing on the horizontal rod g as a fulcruni. The openings g', whereby the pendl autsG are hung upon the horizontal rod g, are elongated lengthwise of the pendants, so as to allow the pendants to move vertically in operating the levers F. The pendants G are so arranged that their lower ends will stand opposite the inner ends of the keys B and clear the same when the pendants are in a normal or perpendicular position, and so that when their lower ends are moved forwardly ont of this position they will project over the ends of the keys. By depressing one of the keys B its inner end strikes the end of the pendant which is projected over the key and raises the pendant, which latter in turn actuates the le ver F, thereby opening the valve d and sounding the note.

I represents a horizont-al roller or cylinder arranged inthe casing A in rear of the pendants `(Jl-,and journaled in suitable bearin gs formed in the sides of the casing A.. llhe roller I is provided on its iace with twelve series of pins or projections, i, corresponding with the twelve `diierent scales, and which bear against the rear sides o f the pendants and move the same forwardly, so as to project the same over the inner ends of the keys. Each of the white keys is provided with three pendants, G, excepting the keys marked C and F', representing the tirst and fourth steps of the scale, which are provided with but two pendants. The pend*y ants G of each of said keys having three pend lants are connected, respectively,with the natural tone of the key, the half-tone above it, or its sharp, and the half-tone below it, or its dat, sov

that by projecting any one ol` said pendants over the end of the key the pipe or reed connected with said pendant can be sounded, and

either of said three sounds can be produced by the saine key. The keys B are constructed at their inne" ends with heads or enlargements b, to receive said pendants.

TOO

As there is only a halt` step or interval between the keys E' and F' and B' and C', the keys F' and C' require only two pendants, G, one bein g connected with the natural tone represented by the key and the other with the half-tone above it, or its sharp. rlhe dat tones or half-steps below the keys F'and C'are equivalent to B natural and E natural, and said keys therefore do not require an extra pendant, as

these sounds are produced by the keys next below them.

The roller I extends across the entire series of pendants,and Yis provided with twelve series of pins or projections, each series for one scale, which are arranged in such positions on the roller that all the pendants which represent the tones constituting a given scale will be projected over their respective keys simultaneously. By turning the roller I on its journals the pendants representing the tones of any required seale are projected. In this manner all the scales can bc played entirely with the white keys in the same manner as the scale ofgC is played on an ordinary organ or piano.

rlhe sounds ot' D, E, G, A, and B of thescale of C are cach producable only by a single key, marked, respectively, D', E', G', A', and B' in Fig. 2. Ihe pendants G producing these sounds are directly connected with the operating-levers F of thesound-prodneing parts, as represented in Fig. 3. These pendants are marked, respectively, 5, 8, 13, I6, and 19 in Figs. 2 and 3. produeable by one of two adjoining keys. For instance, the .sound of C-sharp can be produced by shitting the pendant 3 over the key C', as represented in Figs. 2 and 3, or by shifting the pendant 4 over the adjoining key D. In the saine manner the same sound can be produced by either of the adjoining keys D' and E' and their pendants G and T, and the same sound can be produced by either ofthe adjoining keys E' F' and their pendants 9 and 10.

NVhen the same sound is produced by two adjoining keys and two adjoining pendants, one of thel pendants is directly connected to the operating-lever F of the sound-producing partvas, for instance, the pendants 3, 6, 9, ttc., in Fig. S-and the other pendants, by

which the saine sounds are produced, are hung. loosely upon the rod g below noses yl, formed.

on the .tirst-named pendants-as, for instance, the pendants 4, 7, 10, dc., in Fig. Suso that upon raising either ot' these loose pendants by its key the pendant will strike against the nose g2 of the adjoining pendant and thereby move the actuating-lever F.

The roller I is provided at one end with a `knob or button, j, whereby it can be turned.

I( represents an indicator-disk secured to thc knob or button j and bearing the characters or signs of the different scales, each of the characters on the indicator K being arranged opposite or in line 4with the row of pins adapted to project the pendants of the scale designated by said character.

7s represents a nger or pointer secured to The intermediate sounds areY the side of the casing A and projecting with its end over the edge of the disk K. The pointer L is arranged in line with the horizontal position which the pins on the roller must assume in order to move the pendants G forward, so that by bringing one of the characters under the pointer k the row of pins standing in line with said character will be pressed against the corresponding pendants.

Z represents a spring which is secured to the side ofthe casing A and provided at its upper or free end with a bent portion or projection, Z', which engages in one of a series of notches or depressions, Z, formed in the periphery oi' the disk K, whereby the roller I isheld in any desired position.

The pendants G are guided and held against lateral displacement by short horizontal bars m, arranged between the pendants and secured to the inner side of the casing A.

The arrangement of the key-board above described enables a performer to play in any desired scale without the use of the black keys by simply turning the roller I, so as to present the proper series of pins to the pendants.

In order to enable the performer to play an accidental or intermediate tone which does not constitute a tone or step of the scale for which the roller is adj usted-as, for instance, when the roller is adjusted to the scale of C and the tone of G-sharp should occur in the piece of music-black keys N N N2 are provided for these sounds. For this purpose each white key, between which and the next following key there is a whole step, is provided with a black auxiliary key, N, connected with the pipe or reed constituting the sharp of said key.

After the natural tone of the key has been changed to the sharp or flat tone of the key, to form one 'of the steps of another scale, it sometimes happens that the natural tone of t-he key is required. For this purpose each white key, between which and the key immediately below it there is a whole step, is provided with a black auxiliary key, N', connected with the pipe or reed constituting the natural tone of the key.

To enable the natural tones of the keys F and C to be played after these keys have been changed to their sharp tones, they are each provided with an auxiliary bla-ck key, N2, connected with the natural tones of these keys.

The black keys N N" N2 are connected to the actuating -levcrs F oi' the sound-producing parts by means of extensions o, formed on said levers, and connecting-rods o', extending from said levers to the inner ends of the black keys, as represented in Fig. l. The connecting-rods o' are pivoted to the rear ends of the auxiliary keys, and are guided in openings formed in a cross-piece, I), while their upper ends are bifurcated, as represented at 02, and arranged below the extensions o of the actuating-levers F, so that upon depressing the auxiliary key the connecting-rod and front end of the actuating-lever are raised. This construction per- XOO esmas Y s niits the actuatingviever to be raised bythe whereby the roller is held in position after it main keys B without .moving the auxiliary keys N N N25 il claim as 'my inventionm i., The combination, with the keys B and 'actuatingdevers F, of the inovabie arms G and the series of shifting pins t', whereby the arms G are moved in and out of engagement with the keys, substantially as set forth.

rc The combination, with the keys B and the'aetnatingdevers F of the sound-producing paris, of pendent arms G, and a roller, I, provided with projecting pins o', substantially as set forth'.

15 3. The combination, with the keys B and theactuating-levers F, provided with slots ii, ofthe supportingbar g, pendent arms G, provided with slots g', by which the arms are supported upon thebar g, and aroller, I, provided zo with pins t', substantially as set forth.

4. The combination,wit11 the keys B and the actuating-levers F, of the pendent arms G, hung upon a bar, g, fixed guides m, arranged between the arms G, and a roller, I, provided 2 5 with projections z', substantially as set forth.

5.,The combination, with the keys B and arms G, of the shiftingLroller I, provided with an indicator, K, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination., with the keys .B and 3o arms G, of the shifting-roller I, and a stop,

has been adjusted, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with an actuating-'leyer, F, and two adjacent keys, B BLof two pendent arms, G G, one of which is pernia- 35 nently connected with the lever F and provided with a projection, g2, and the other of which is arranged underneath said projection,

vso.lostantialiy as set forth.

8., The combination, with the actuating-len 4o vers F of the sound-producing parts, of main. keys B, and a shifting actuating mechanism, wlierebysaid-keys can be connected with or disconnected from the actuating-levers F, and auxiliary keys N N N", which are directly 4.5 connected With the actuating-levers F, substantally as set forth. v

9. The combination, with the actuatingdevers F of the soundproduoing parts, of main keys B, pendent arms G, and-a roller, l, whereby the keys B are connected with or disconnected from the actuating-levers F, and auxiliary keys N N N, provided with con .meeting-rods o', engaging with the actuating levers F, substantially as set forth.

MARTIN PHILIPPS.

Witnesses:

CARL F. Garan, THEO. L. PoPP. 

